Rand Paul wears his political ambition for all to see . Look no further than the tie he sported during a three-day trip to Iowa . It had yellow images of corn , the crop that epitomizes politics in the first-in-the-nation caucus state .

`` And by coincidence , I have one in the shape of South Carolina , '' the Kentucky Republican said Wednesday , drawing laughs .

He was speaking at a Republican breakfast outside Des Moines at Machine Shed , a Midwest restaurant chain where the waiters wear overalls and drinks are served in Mason jars .

As Paul blitzed across the Hawkeye State this week , holding events at Iowa GOP offices and campaigning for local candidates , he hardly played coy to the question of whether he was running for President . After all , his nine-city trip marked his fourth visit to the state since the 2012 election .

`` I do n't know why Iowa keeps popping up on my calendar , but it seems to be pretty frequent , '' he said Monday , clearly with sarcasm .

His itinerary this time included a campaign-style schedule where he continued testing his 2016 message on the road .

From reducing the federal deficit to defending civil liberties and reforming the criminal justice system , Paul mostly stayed on his talking points .

But the trip was not without controversy .

His combative answer to a reporter 's question -- combined with video of Paul appearing to avoid an immigration activist -- absorbed most of the attention surrounding his visit .

Experts say it 's unlikely those story lines will derail any progress Paul has made in the state with voters , but his comments could underscore questions some Republicans have about his foreign policy , especially as he seeks to broaden his appeal .

Off-message

At his first stop on Monday , which actually took place in Omaha , Nebraska , near the Iowa state line , Paul held a news conference after touring a tech startup venue with Nebraska GOP Senate hopeful Ben Sasse .

Asked if he still supported phasing out foreign aid to Israel , Paul fired back at a reporter for `` mischaracterizing '' his position and staunchly denied that he had ever proposed such legislation .

But it 's well-documented that he called for ending all foreign aid , including assistance to Israel , and sought support in Congress for his proposal in 2011 .

In Iowa , Paul stressed that he never introduced legislation that solely `` targeted '' Israel and argued that he strongly favors sending money to the country .

Still , he added , Israel will be better positioned in the long run without foreign assistance .

`` Every country ultimately would be better off to be independent , '' he said on Tuesday .

Paul is also taking heat for quickly exiting a tense moment when an immigration activist confronted Rep. Steve King at a fundraiser while the two lawmakers ate dinner Monday night .

Video of the incident shows Paul , at the behest of his press aide , quickly getting up from the table and getting away from the confrontation . Paul said he was stepping away to do interviews with local media .

Whether or not those interviews were hastened because of the activist is unclear . Still , the video quickly spread and it was enough for critics to frame a narrative that Paul bolted from an uncomfortable exchange .

The dust-ups in his trip made headlines and ate up much of the coverage of his Iowa visit .

David Kochel , Mitt Romney 's Iowa strategist in 2008 and 2012 , said he doubts caucus voters will judge Paul negatively for leaving after `` someone tried to sandbag him . ''

`` I think he 's fine on that , '' he said . `` As for Israel , that 's a little more difficult . You have social conservatives in Iowa who very much feel the need to be in solidarity with Israel -- not just Christian conservatives , but it 's also national security conservatives . ''

While Paul has voted in favor of sending more aid to Israel this year and has proposed cutting off aid to the Palestinians , his past statements and views on foreign policy are rooted in his libertarian leanings -- a perspective still largely outside of mainstream Republican thought .

`` He 'll probably have work to do on that issue , '' Kochel continued . `` It could be one of those things that might limit his potential . ''

Still , Kochel thinks Paul is the current frontunner in Iowa among prospective candidates . He points to Paul 's frequent travel to the state , his efforts to build a wider GOP , and the network of supporters built by his father 's presidential campaigns the past two cycles .

` Son of Ron '

In the 2012 Iowa caucuses , former Rep. Ron Paul of Texas finished with 21 % of the vote , just slightly behind Romney and former Sen. Rick Santorum -- who tied for first at 25 % .

Many of Ron Paul 's supporters were previously inactive in politics , citing a lack of candidates who represented their views .

`` Your father cured my apathy , '' one man told Rand Paul at an event in Council Bluffs .

Building off Ron Paul 's 2012 momentum , the so-called liberty faction of Iowa 's Republican Party eventually took control of party leadership .

Mainstream Republicans , with the support of Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad , wrestled back control earlier this year .

But Paul knows he needs more than just the libertarian wing of the party . As seen in his trip this week , he 's going after the state 's social conservatives and business Republicans , too .

`` Paul is attempting to pivot from being ` Son of Ron , ' so to speak , '' said Dennis Goldford , professor of politics at Drake University in Des Moines . `` He 's never going to deny that or reject it . But he has the view that Republicans need a broader base or broader range than some other candidates have maintained . ''

Paul spoke at five GOP offices this week and five other events in a tour that took him around the state in a 730-mile loop . At each stop , Paul 's main message sought to counter post-2012 perceptions that the Republican Party should change its message .

`` I say ` hell no . ' We have to be more boldly for what we 're for , '' he said at the GOP office in Davenport . It 's a mantra he has repeated in his travels across the country this year .

But he proposes doing so with some traditional and unorthodox ideas for mainstream Republicans . Part of that includes a push to speak out against domestic surveillance programs and mount a strong defense of the Fourth Amendment .

He has also been aggressive in courting voters and even Democrats to help expand the party . To do that , he 's urging for reform to the criminal justice system with reduced sentences for nonviolent drug offenders and the restoration of voting rights to nonviolent felons after they get out of jail .

In Northwest Iowa , home to many of the state 's social conservatives , Paul placed an evangelical spin on his message .

`` Many of us are Christians , we believe in a second chance in our religion . Anybody here who 's not a sinner , raise their hand , '' he said Monday night at a fundraiser in Okoboji . `` We believe in redemption , should the law allow people a second chance . ''

But that 's about as deep as Paul waded into social issues during the trip . He did n't talk about abortion , contraception or same-sex marriage until audience members asked him about the issues at one of his final events .

Asked whether he supported a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage , Paul said he `` favors the concept '' of traditional marriage but argued the federal government should stay out marriage entirely .

`` I do n't want to register my guns in Washington or my marriage , '' he said .

The previous past two winners of Iowa caucuses , Santorum and Mike Huckabee , both ran on a vocal platform with regard to social issues . Goldford said if Paul does n't devote more attention to those topics , someone else will step in to fill in the void .

`` To function in Iowa he 's going to have to address the concerns of conservative evangelicals because Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are going to do that , '' he said .

Paul left Iowa before this weekend 's annual summit hosted by the Family Leader , a group that 's influential with social conservatives in the state . Guest speakers include Cruz , Huckabee , Santorum , Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal .

Paul said he could n't make it due to a scheduling conflict . But he indicated he 'd be back .

`` You have to meet people four , five , six times in Iowa because they expect a real personal touch , and I think it 's actually one of the good things about the process , '' he told reporters , before needlessly adding : `` if I decide to do this . ''

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Rand Paul made a high-profile trip to Iowa this week

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Iowa is a magnet for presidential hopefuls

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Paul made headlines for changing his tune on foreign aid

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Experts say the controversy is n't a deal breaker , but he still needs social conservatives